White Light
by cupcakeculprit
Summary: After her father passes away, Malon's life is empty and she occupies her father's old ranch with a only few animals, and one overbearing overseer. Life feels almost meaningless until she meets someone completely unexpected.
1. Chapter 1

Standing in the middle of an open field she looked up into the fair blue sky and soft white clouds. The wind breathed against her skin gently, sweeping a thick tossle of hair over her eyes like playful hands disguising a surprise. She was humming softly to herself and could hear the muted breathing of the horses surrounding her. She could not help smiling to herself at their gentle nature.

"Malon!", shouted a voice from across her way, "Quit your daydreaming, and continue on with your work. Earn your keep."

It was the voice of Mr. Ingo, the ranch owner. Once a regular worker he had taken over the Lon Lon Ranch after papa had died, claiming its deed had been left in his name. She turned to face him nodding her head at his tall stout figure. He was a miserable man with a thick dark mustache and a balding head, his portly figure constantly clad in overalls.

"Aye", she replied turning away toward the exit of the fenced pasture. Walking into the horse stable she gathered a dented tin bucket filled with chicken feed, and tossed it in the animals' direction upon leaving. The large white birds ran up to her instantly and greedily began to peck at the ground for food.

Across from the stable was her own home, a small two story house with only one bedroom she use to share with her father. It belonged to Mr. Ingo now who promptly emptied the room of all her childhood memories selling them for propaganda which advertised the ranch's new management. Her new dwelling was a small storage house located at the back end of the ranch with few furnishings, and two dairy cows for company. It was not the warm fireplace heated room she had once occupied with her father, but it was private and as far away from Mr. Ingo as she could afford.

The hungry Cuckoos continued to eat the feed as she emptied the rest onto the ground, leaving the tin bucket next to the stable and moving past the enclosed pasture again. Mr. Ingo was standing vainly in front of the pasture, as though just his presence was enough to tame the new mares he had recently splurged on.

Walking to her former home she considered the bland redecorating Ingo had performed on her home. The upstairs bedroom no longer contained two separate beds made for a family, her bright woven bed cover was gone, everything was less homey and more dull. She scooped up soiled laundry and linens among the room and made up the bed. She would have to visit the market soon, to purchase food to prepare for dinner.

Bundling the linens in her arms she left the home again to wash the materials. Scrubbing the textile upon a wash board she could feel the drops of soapy water splashing up from the wash bucket and stinging her eyes. And then, warms drops preceded from another direction, dripping down from her eyes and falling into the water below; tears. She felt alone in this world, Papa had gone to a better place and left her in an empty one that only reminded her of his memories.

Mr. Ingo was not cruel, but whatever heart he had must have been gray because he only ever looked out for himself. She threw the last piece of laundry into the wash basin and angrily brushed it aside stomping out into the open air again. She moved out toward the fenced pasture, where Ingo still stood, arms crossed with a overzealous smile on his face."I'm going to the market for tonight's dinner", she said while fixing a saddle upon one of the horses. Ingo didn't even turn his head in acknowledgement.

She soared out of the pasture probably a little too ostentatiously, and made her way into the open field with pleasure. The sun was still present in the sky, a small pleasure allotted on summer evenings. Racing toward the large citadel some miles away she decided to push her limits and whisk her horse steadily in order to quicken her pace. "Oiseau, faster!", she yelled just for the fun of it, moving closer to the castle bridge.

She was getting nearer now, and horses were not allowed beyond these walls without exclusive permission, and so she gradually lead the mare to a subsided trot and then halt. The horse snorted as Malon dismounted, as if disappointed that the amusement had ended so promptly. She softly stroked its nose and made her way upon the castle draw bridge and into town.


	2. Chapter 2

Despite the evening hours the market place was still a little crowded with a several vendors speaking loudly intending to entice a few more customers before closing down. She walked through slowly looking for the usual area where she would purchase a small serving of meat and various vegetables. As she walked over to the merchant she could hear the low murmurs of a group of men a few feet away.

"Someone, some _thing_ from the East has come", said one man nervously. "Stories", murmured another, "what have you actually seen?" "I don't need to see anything, when people talk there is usually a reason why." "Probably some old drunken man on a horse, they said he had white hair right?" "What elder can yield a sword twice the size of his own body? It's an omen". "It's an _old man_", laughed the unbelieving man.

What were they carrying on about? She did not know how to interpret what she just heard. Hyrule had not known any conflict for years after the Hero of Time had saved them so long ago. Was someone coming to hinder their peace? She could not help laughing aloud after considering that thought. Was she really going to worry about what a few city dwellers were gossiping about? They were two different kinds of people worrying about two different things. In this world everyone concerned themselves with the latest talk of the town. In her own, she had chores to do, horses to train, and chickens to feed.

Approaching her vendor she could not help but notice that everything he was selling seemed to be following an unusual pattern. "You're not selling your usual trade today", she said openly. "This is what my supplier sent me", the familiar man responded as though not sure what to say. "You know they do things a little differently out East", he laughed. "It's a gala of white today, I'm sure it does wonders for clearing lesions on the complexion".

She looked up at him confused. "Not that you need it Miss", he said awkwardly under his breath. "So what can I get for you? White fish, leeks, cauliflower, maize- though its mostly white, eggs, milk, white peaches, white wine, daikon…" "I can see what you have", Milan said somewhat rudely. "Do you have any meat available?" "Of course we do", he responded pointing to a crate of **white** chickens. "Why am I not surprised you don't have any blue cuckoos for sale?" she groaned. "A blue cuckoo? You know how rare those are? Besides didn't you once say you worked on a chicken farm?" "Horse ranch", she responded dryly. "Of course. So what can I get for you today?""Nothing today but thank you", she said turning around. "Alright Miss I'll see you tomorrow, be careful riding home".

As she rode Oiseau home she wondered why she had acted so disagreeable about purchasing pale products. Had the brief story she had heard from the city persons made her afraid? She was nearing a long winding river as she rode away from the Hyrule citadel. She needed to bring something home for dinner, could she catch her own meal? She gently pulled Oiseau's reigns and stopped the horse directly in front of a bank on the river. Stepping off, she removed a small empty satchel from her saddle and held it still in the cool water.

She was not sure whether this method would actually work but she was too stubborn to go back to the market and purchase something. Several fish swam by slowly, briefly holding their lips next to the satchel and then hurriedly swimming away. This was impossible and ridiculous; she removed the satchel from the water and retied it onto Oiseau's back. The horse shuttered as the cold water dripped down its sides. "I'm sorry", Milan apologized, stroking its back.

She rested her head against the horse's side closing her eyes and breathing in tiredly. Her small defeat left her feeling slightly exhausted and impatient. She could not return home without a meal for Mr. Ingo, she worried that any small transgression would eventually entice him to expel from the only home she had ever known. As a last resort she decided to travel further down the river side in search of any traveling vendors, as there sometimes were this time of year.

Onwards she traveled, enjoying the breezy summer's evening air. She was passing by the ranch now but knew she would not be returning for a while. As she rode she remembered to stay on the West side of Lon Lon, recalling the Peahats that flew dangerously toward the North. The landscape was empty and relatively quiet, although in the distance she could see a growing shape traveling fast from across the field. By its speed and long shape she could determine that it was something she was use to seeing every day. A large mount was running freely across the way. Perhaps it had escaped from the farm? It was so far from home at this distance. And what if it came across a Peahat?

It would be a risky task but Mr. Ingo had wasted too much of her father's money on new steeds to let this one run away and risk harm. She pushed her heels into her own mare's sides and speedily attempted to pursue the running animal. As she drew closer she could see that the horse was actually a stout mare, with a red body accented with black and white on its legs and tail. It was beautiful and like nothing she had owned for years. She slowed Oiseau down, upon recognizing that this was not one of their mares. It may have been wild or belonging to someone else, and she had no right to take it.

As she sat watching the creature move, she found herself breathless by its rare colors and running grace. As it glided over the field however, she could see that it was making its way to a circular patch of dangerous shrubbery. It was going to tread directly over a Peahat. The mare ran through the circle of plants, tearing them from the ground and awakening the large pineapple like entity that dwelled beneath. It flew up from the ground instantly exposing its large jagged blade like thorns and flying after what had disturbed it.

The mare continued at its swift speed but the Peahat remained in tow, slowly gaining on the horse's flanks. What could she do to stop it? She did not carry a single weapon on her person. Pulling Oiseau to a stop, she jumped onto the ground scooping up what few stones she could find. Her fight would be a crude one but she had to make every attempt she could. Again she jumped back onto her own horse and continued to pursue the running mare and Peahat feeling her heart slamming hard in her chest as she drew closer.

Attempting to steady herself she lifted up one arm, rock in hand, and threw it upon the large attacker causing it to swoop low on the red mare as though it had attacked it. The horse screamed in pain, receiving three deep looking slices on its back and sides. Milan could not help but scream herself imagining the horse's pain. Again she threw another rock at the Peahat hitting it upon a soft spot underneath, and continuing to throw rocks desperately until the creature gradually withdrew its thorns to cover its wound. The attacker was no longer dangerous at this point but was still unpredictable.

It slowed its floating speed allowing Milan to squeeze herself between the recesses of the Peahat and the mare, and attempted to herd the animal back toward Lon Lon Ranch. While she did not expect her herding to actually work, she was somewhat thankful when it suddenly stopped running and slowed down to a light trot and then stood still. Milan stopped her own horse as well and slowly approached the hurt mare examining its wounds. Reaching out her hand slowly she gently stroked the animal's muzzle causing it to snort softly. She pat its back and flanks avoiding the torn areas and attempted to carefully mount its back. The animal's body felt tense and uncertain but allowed her to remain on top of her back without moving.

"Oiseau", she called and whistled shrilly. Her own horse responded by moving beside its owner who was now softly applying pressure to the mare she sat on. It took slow uncertain steps at first and then gradually began to walk slowly in the direction that she steered it. Milan turned to look behind her and noted that the Peahat had disappeared and she was alone beside the company of her two four legged companions. Although unsaddled, the horse still had the remains of shredded bits and reigns enclosed around its head and mouth. As she gripped the rugged leather she noted a small emblem embossed into a thicker side of the reigns with the initials "FD". She was unsure of what the two letters had stood for.


End file.
